Toy submarine convertible to an airplane

ABSTRACT

A toy submarine having an open cylindrical hull section with forward mounted propulsion means adapted to accommodate both submarine and airplane components.

United States Patent Goodman 1 Jan. 30, 1973 54 TOY SUBMARINE CONVERTIBLE T0 3,092,060 6/1963 Reid ..46/94 x AN AIRPLANE 3,126,667 3/1964 Rabinow ..46/l7 3,251,154 5/l966 Taylor ..46/94 X [76] Inventor: Harold Goodman, 590 Ocean Avenue, Long Branch, NJ. 07740 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene [221 filed: March 13, 1972 Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting App]. No.: 234,141

US. Cl. ..46/74 R, 46/94 Int. Cl. ..A'63h 27/00, A63h 23/04 Field of Search ..46/74 R, 76, 94

Att0rneyGeorge B. Finnegan, Jr. et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A toy submarine having an open cylindrical hull section with forward mounted propulsion means adapted to accommodate both submarine and airplane components.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TOY SUBMARINE CONVERTIBLE TO AN AIRPLANE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to mobile toys. In particular, the invention is directed to a submarine which is mobile under water and which can be converted to an airplane.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Description of the Prior Art Toy submarines and toy airplanes are common in the prior art. Toy manufacturers have developed some toy submarines and toy airplanes which are mobile. However, in many of these cases the toy airplanes are not convertible to toy submarines, nor are the toy submarines convertible to airplanes.

In addition, the toy submarines of the prior art have proved to be relatively unstable in operation. Stability of operation has generally been afforded in prior art toy submarines by resorting to expensive structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensively manufactured toy submarine which is stable in operation and capable of being adjusted to facilitate diving and climbing while submerged under water.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toy submarine which is readily convertible to a toy airplane.

The toy submarine of the present invention is provided with a hull member appropriately slotted to receive various control surfaces of the submarine. The same slots provided for the submarine surfaces also function to receive airplane surfaces when the toy submarine is converted to a toy airplane. The toy submarine hull is provided with an essentially centrally disposed upper slot, two vertically aligned tail slots extending from the back of the hull forwardly. The top tail slot is in alignment with the centrally disposed upper slot. Lower side slots aligned in a transverse plane are also provided in a center location on the hull. The hull is also adapted to accommodate a front nose cone section. The nose cone section fits over the exterior of the front of the hull-fuselage member and is provided a centrally disposed aperture.

In the assembled condition the toy submarine is provided with a dorsal fin arranged in the centrally disposed top opening, a keel and keel holder arranged in the transversely aligned side slots and a front propeller. The propeller is mounted by means ofa double ended hook which passes through the aperture in the nose cone and is attached to a rubberband. The rubberband extends from the propeller mounting hook to a stud which is mounted in the tail slots.

In the assembled airplane structure an empennagecockpit section is sized to fit into the tail slots and extend to the upper central slot for positive securement therein. Wings are accommodated by the transverse side slots. An airplane propeller is substituted for the submarine propeller and arranged virtually identically on the nose cone. Again the motive force for the toy airplane is provided by a rubberband which extends from the propeller mount to a stud located in the tail slots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

The invention will be more readily understood by an examination of the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hull section of the toy submarine;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the composite toy submarine of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the toy submarine in the assembled state; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the toy airplane in the assembled state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The toy submarine of the present invention is provided with a hull 2 best seen in FIG. 1. The hull is provided with a top slot 8 which is located in a front center area of the top of the hull. Tail slots 4 and 6 are also provided in the hull 2. The tail slots extend from the rear of the hull to a location a short distance forward. The upper tail slot 4 is aligned with the centrally disposed top slot 8 and the bottom tail slot 6 is in verti-' cal registry with the upper tail slot 4. Side slots 10 are also provided in the hull member 2. The side slots 10 are in an essentially lower section of the hull 2 and are arranged in transverse alignment. The transverse side slots 10 extend from a forward location in alignment with the front of the top slot 8 rearwardly to a location forward of the tail slots 4 and 6.

The hull 2 is cylindrically formed of polyethylene. The walls of the hull are thin and the rear is open to afford immediate access of water to the interior of the hull upon immersion of the assembled submarine into the water.

A nose cone I4 is also provided in the structure. The nose cone 14 is conically shaped and configured with a rearward cylindrical section adapted to fit in a sliding forefit over the exterior of the front of the hull 2. The nose cone 14 is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 16 through which both the submarine impeller and airplane propeller mounting means can be inserted. The nose cone is removable to afford easy assembly and disassembly of rubber band.

The component parts of the toy submarine and the toy submarine in its fully assembled state are best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. In addition to the hull 2 and nose cone 14, the parts necessary to complete the assemblage of the toy submarine are the dorsal fin 18, the keel holder 20, the keel 22, the stud 24, weight washers 26, propeller 28, propeller mount 30 and rubberband 32.

The dorsal fin 18 is provided with the depending tab 34. The tab 34 fits snugly in the slot 8 to mount the dorsal fin 18 on the hull 2. In addition, the dorsal fin 18 is provided with a rear control panel 19. The control panel 19 is integrally formed with the dorsal fin l8 and adapted to bend at score line 21. The score line 21 extends the entire length of the dorsal fin 18 thereby affording folding of the dorsal fin for storage within the hull-fuselage 2 during storage or shipment.

The keel holder 20 is provided with lateral gripping edges 36 and a centrally disposed recess 38. The lateral gripping edges 36 fit into the side slots 10 to hold the keel holder 20 on the hull 2. The recess 38 extends the entire length of the keel holder 20 and is sized to accommodate the keel 22. The keel 22 is provided with a rear control tab 25 which is integrally formed with the keel 22 and adapted to bend along score line 27.

The stud 24 is adapted to be fitted into the tail slots 4 and 6. The head of the stud protrudes upwardly beyond the lower slot 6. This orientation of the stud 24 enables weight washers 26 to be placed either on the stud extending above the hull-fuselage or on the stud inside of the hull-fuselage.

The propeller 28 is specially sized for submarine operation. The length of the propeller 28 is just over twice the diameter of the hull 2. The propeller 28 is provided with a centrally disposed aperture through which the propeller mount 30 passes. The hook terminations 42 and 40 of the propeller mount 30 respectively mount the propeller 28 and grip the rubberband 32. The rubberband 32 is arranged around the hook termination 40 of the propeller mount 30 and the stud 24.

In practice, it has been found that the location of the propeller 28 in front rather than an impeller in the rear provides improved stability of the submarine during submerged travel. it is believed that the configuration of the front propeller rotating and the submarine moving forwardly generates a slipstream which protects the submarine from cross-currents.

In operation, the propeller 28 of the submarine is turned until the rubberband has been would to a point wherein sufficient energy to rapidly turn the propeller has been stored. The control panel 19 of the dorsal fin 18 must be deflected to compensate for the torque generated by the rotating propeller 28. When the propeller 28 rotates counterclockwise, the control panel 19 must be bent to the left. The keel 22 may be slid either forward or backward in the central recess 38 to provide variable operating conditions. By placing the keel 22 in a more forwardly position the submarine will have a tendency to dive deeply. 1f the keel 22 is placed in a more rearward position, the submarine will make more shallow dives. The washers 26 which can be added to the stud provide a weighting effect which will vary the diveof the submarine. The more washers that are added the shallower the dive.

The toy in its configuration as a toy airplane is seen in FIG. 4 and provides a toy airplane similar to the toy airplane depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,567 (Goodman, Nov. 2, 1971). Therein the airplane is provided with a wing 52, an empennage-cockpit section 44, a stud 50, a propeller 54, a washer 56, a propeller mount 58 and a rubberband 64. Theempennage-cockpit 44 is comprised of a tail member which extends from the rear of the plane and to the central slot 8 in the hull or fuselage section 2 and an elevator 62. The empennagecockpit section 44 is integrally formed and fits completely through the openings 4 and 6 in the tail of the fuselage 2. THe wing 52 fits through the lateral openings 10 and the propeller 54 mounts on the nose cone 14. The length of the propeller for the airplane is over four times the diameter of the hull-fuselage 2. A hook mounting 58 similar to the impeller mounting 40 is provided for the propeller. A washer 56 is also provided to fit between the nose cone l4 and the propeller The rubberband 64 again is adapted to fit around the propeller mount hook and the stud which is located in the tail slots 4 and 6.

in operation the propeller is hand wound until the rubberband has been twisted to maintain sufficient energy to provide the propeller with motive force for the airplane.

It should be noted that the toy submarine apart from the toy airplane is designed for shipment in a mailing tube. The hull 2 fits within the mailing tube and the component parts fit within the hull 2.

lclaim:

l. A toy submarine comprising:

a hollow open-ended hull having a top centrally disposed slot, top and bottom vertically aligned tail slots and transverse side slots;

a dorsal fin having a tab which fits into the top centrally disposed slot on the hull;

a keel holder having lateral gripping edges, which gripping edges fit within the transverse slots in the hull and a centrally disposed exterior recess;

a keel adapted to fit into the centrally disposed exterior recess in the keel holder;

a nose cone mounted on the front of the hull; and

mechanical propulsion means on said toy submarine for moving the toy submarine.

2. A toy submarine as in claim 1 further comprising a central aperture in the nose cone and wherein the means for propelling the toy submarine is a forwardly mounted propeller, a propeller mount adapted to grip the propeller on one end, pass through the nose cone aperture and terminate in the interior of the hull in a hook, a stud arranged head down in the hull tail slots and a rubberband adapted to attach on one end to the propeller mount interior hook and on the other end to the stud.

3. A toy submarine as in claim 2 further comprising a control surface at the rear of the dorsal fin.

4. A toy submarine as in claim 2 further comprising a control surface at the rear of the keel.

5. A toy submarine as in claim 2 wherein the length of the propeller is about twice the diameter of the hull.

6. A toy submarine as in claim 2 wherein the recess in the keel holder extends the entire length thereof and the keel can be arranged therein at an infinite number of locations to provide variable cruising control.

7. A toy submarine as in claim 2 further comprised of a composite of materials which collectively, in the assembled condition, are of such buoyancy as to enable said submarine to run beneath the surface of water when thrust is being provided by the rotating propeller 54. The hooks in which the propeller mount 58 terminate respectively mount the propeller on one end and one end of the rubberband 64 on the other end.

but which will return to the surface when the power of the propeller is expended.

8. A toy submarine convertible to an airplane comprising:

a hollow open-ended tubular member having a top centrally disposed slot, top and bottom vertically aligned tail slots wherein the top tail slot is aligned with the top centrally disposed slot and transverse side slots which extend from a location in the same vertical plane as the forward end of the top centrally disposed slot to a location forward of the tail slots; and

a nose cone adapted to snugly fit over the front of the hollow open-ended tubular member and having a centrally disposed aperture. 

1. A toy submarine comprising: a hollow open-ended hull having a top centrally disposed slot, top and bottom vertically aligned tail slots and transverse side slots; a dorsal fin having a tab which fits into the top centrally disposed slot on the hull; a keel holder having lateral gripping edges, which gripping edges fit within the transverse slots in the hull and a centrally disposed exterior recess; a keel adapted to fit into the centrally disposed exterior recess in the keel holder; a nose cone mounted on the front of the hull; and mechanical propulsion means on said toy submarine for moving the toy submarine.
 1. A toy submarine comprising: a hollow open-ended hull having a top centrally disposed slot, top and bottom vertically aligned tail slots and transverse side slots; a dorsal fin having a tab which fits into the top centrally disposed slot on the hull; a keel holder having lateral gripping edges, which gripping edges fit within the transverse slots in the hull and a centrally disposed exterior recess; a keel adapted to fit into the centrally disposed exterior recess in the keel holder; a nose cone mounted on the front of the hull; and mechanical propulsion means on said toy submarine for moving the toy submarine.
 2. A toy submarine as in claim 1 further comprising a central aperture in the nose cone and wherein the means for propelling the toy submarine is a forwardly mounted propeller, a propeller mount adapted to grip the propeller on one end, pass through the nose cone aperture and terminate in the interior of the hull in a hook, a stud arranged head down in the hull tail slots and a rubberband adapted to attach on one end to the propeller mount interior hook and on the other end to the stud.
 3. A toy submarine as in claim 2 further comprising a cOntrol surface at the rear of the dorsal fin.
 4. A toy submarine as in claim 2 further comprising a control surface at the rear of the keel.
 5. A toy submarine as in claim 2 wherein the length of the propeller is about twice the diameter of the hull.
 6. A toy submarine as in claim 2 wherein the recess in the keel holder extends the entire length thereof and the keel can be arranged therein at an infinite number of locations to provide variable cruising control.
 7. A toy submarine as in claim 2 further comprised of a composite of materials which collectively, in the assembled condition, are of such buoyancy as to enable said submarine to run beneath the surface of water when thrust is being provided by the rotating propeller but which will return to the surface when the power of the propeller is expended. 